Things to Do in DC on Labor Day Weekend: Drink for Hurricane Relief, the National Book Festival, and a Modern Julius Caesar

Scena Theatre’s modern production of Julius Caesar opens September 1 at Atlas Performing Arts Center. Photo by Jae Yi Photography.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31

YOGAAMP will host a candlelight yoga session with music from flautist Deepak Ram. The session is an intermediate-level asana practice with a focus on the breath (pranayama) and a short meditation on prana, the vital life force. The yoga class will be led by Mike Gaitan of the Sport & Health gym in Rockville. $30, 7 PM.

COMEDY Atlanta comic Rod Man is best known as the winner of Last Comic Standing’s eighth season. He’ll headline the DC Improv this weekend. Tickets $27; two shows Friday and Saturday.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

MUSIC In August 1967, Jimi Hendrix played a series of concerts at DC’s Ambassador Theatre, a legendary set of shows that were attended by Nils Lofgren and members of The Who. In honor of the 50th anniversary of those shows, plus Hendrix’s 75th birthday later in the year, Wolf Trap is hosting a tribute concert featuring Fishbone alongside guitarists Ernie Isley, Vernon Reid, and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, and vocalists Nona Hendryx, Liv Warfield, and Judith Hill. Tickets $30-$85, 8 PM.

THEATER Scena Theatre’s modern take on Julius Caesar opens on Friday at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The production, Scena’s first foray into Shakespeare’s work, will draw parallels between the political turmoil of ancient Rome and that in present-day DC. Director Robert McNamara (who also performs as Caesar) brings to stage his vision that political corruption and civil unrest are timeless and global issues. Through September 24. Tickets $45.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

BOOKS The 17th Library of Congress National Book Festival takes place on Saturday at the Washington Convention Center. The Fest will showcase more than 100 authors and presenters, including David Baldacci, Diana Gabaldon, David McCullough, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. There will be books for sale as well as family-friendly activities on the exposition floor, ranging from story times to a hunt for Waldo. Free, 8:30 AM-7:30 PM.

FOOD DC’s food and beverage community is uniting to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Participating restaurants, bars, and breweries are donating a portion of their sales on Saturday to the American Red Cross’s efforts to care for victims of this unprecedented storm. Participating establishments are listed on the event’s Crowdrise page.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

MUSEUMS The National Gallery of Art’s Edvard Munch: Color in Context exhibit will show 21 prints that consider the combinations and meaning of color. In the second half of the 19th century, advances in science sparked new thought about the physical and spiritual world; the colors in these paintings were inspired by some of these new theories. Through January 28. Free.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

MUSIC Rhode Island punk band Downtown Boys just released their third album, Cost of Living, on Sub Pop records. The album, produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, is full of political opinions and—somewhat daringly—features a saxophone alongside traditional rock instruments. Downtown Boys will perform with locals Hemlines and Homosuperior at DC9. Tickets $12 in advance, $14 at the door, 8:30 PM.

THEATER Synetic Theatre’s wordless production of The Adventures of Peter Pan opens officially in October, but the company will present a version of the production at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage as part of Target’s Family Night in conjunction with the Page-To-Stage New Play Festival. Free, 6 PM.